Metal-coated metal (or metal alloy) graphite composite materials have been used in thermal applications. Unfortunately, conventional methods for coating such metal graphite composite materials have disadvantages. For instance, it has been discovered that when conventionally coated metal graphite composite materials are used, graphite extends into and often protrudes through a metal coating, and thereby results in the coating to fail. Such a fiber protruding through a metal coating creates a channel for communication of moisture which causes corrosion. Also, fibers protruding through the coating also provide a channel for gas permeation through the composite.
Another problem of conventionally metal graphite composite materials is that the difference in the thermal expansion coefficients between the surface graphite in the composite material and the coating causes cracks in the brittle metal coating. Such defects impair the performance of the metal graphite composite materials.
For the foregoing reasons, it would be advantageous to develop a metal-coated metal graphite composite material that is hermetically sealed.
For the foregoing reasons, it would be advantageous to develop a metal-coated metal graphite composite material that is impervious to chemicals.
For the foregoing reasons, it would be advantageous to develop metal-coated graphite material that is corrosion resistant.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need to develop a method that produces a metal-coated metal graphite composite material that is corrosion-resistant.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need to develop a method that produces a metal-coated metal graphite composite material that is hermetically sealed.